When a student re-integrates they need support from a trusted person with whom they have connectedness in order to transfer that connectedness to the new school and thus increase the likelihood of success. The following are the steps in the Naremburn School re-integration process.
Usual steps
Principal talks to the students' parents about the progress that has been achieved and the idea of re-integration. Choice of school is confirmed.
Counsellor talks to counsellor, principal talks to principal either by via phone or email.
‘Drive by' visit to the returning school (just so student can see the school from outside). This step is not needed when the returning school is well-known to the student.
The mentor and possibly counsellor at the receiving/returning school hand pick teachers and classes based on personal qualities and known attributes of staff as well as student's interests. This is the key to a successful re-integration.
Receiving/returning school counsellor or mentor forwards the start date for Week 1, Week 2's intended schedule, classes, times, teachers, room numbers and map to Naremburn School. This needs to be a regular contact. It is the weekly responsibility of the return school staff to contact the home school staff and inform them of when and where the next stage of re-integration occurs.
Student starts. Phased in program depending on returning school structure. Sometimes this step is reduced when a high school has longer periods. This period typically involves:
- One period first week with support from Naremburn School.
- Two periods second week with support from Naremburn School.
- Half day third week with support from Naremburn School.
- One day fourth week independently.
- Two days fifth week independently.
- Three days sixth week independently.
- Full time seventh week and onwards.
During this gradual process, the student will have a card for each classroom teacher to comment on and sign each period/day.
Review of progress is via phone calls or emails. The re-integration process can be tailored to an individual's needs by extending or eliminating any one step.
In the eighth week of the full-time re-integration process, the mainstream school will conduct a risk assessment (based on their own format or that of Naremburn School's) and addresses controls to reduce or eliminate remaining negative behaviours. It is the mainstream school's responsibility to conduct this assessment or contact Naremburn School for assistance.
Enrolment stays with Naremburn School until both schools are satisfied re-integration has succeeded, not longer than ten weeks from time of three day a week attendance.
Naremburn School remains a support contact for the student as long as there is a need from the student's or the school's point of view regardless of length of time since re-integration.
Intended outcomes
Students will:
- Make connections to schools and certain members of staff which, research shows, increases their resilience.
- Attend classes where subjects and teachers have been selected for their interest level, flexibility and tolerance.
- Slot back into a mainstream school in a gradual manner thereby allowing staff at Naremburn School to support the student with academic work as well as behaviour issues.
- Have a greater chance of succeeding in a mainstream setting.
Re-integrating students to other programs or the workplace
Where appropriate, students will access other programs such as TAFE (technical and further education), links to learning, traineeships, apprenticeships, or a workplace. Procedures to integrate students into these venues are as varied as the venues themselves but maintain the basic premise of supporting the student to become a confident and appropriately behaved individual at the placement of his/her choosing. To support these students, Naremburn School staff offer 1:1 support for a period of time to enable the student to settle in and assistance in organising these placements.
Introduction
Research indicates there are three key factors that influence the resilience of individuals. All people have various stresses, events or incidents in their lives that could have a long lasting negative impact. Resilience is defined as the factor that allows someone to overcome these stresses.
Three key factors that increase resilience are:
- a sense of belonging,
- friends
- a significant supportive adult relationship.
Schools play a huge part in developing a sense of belonging and encouraging friendships. Usually, young people develop relationships with a significant adult in their families. Sometimes, though, this is not a supportive or appropriate relationship if it exists at all in some families. While schools cannot be the replacement for a family, they can play a role in this aspect of resilience.
Research shows that the quality of teacher-student relationships has great influence on the amount of productive or disruptive behaviour student’s display in a school setting. With positive teacher-student relationships there comes increased academic achievement and more positive peer interactions.
A teacher's concerns, high expectations and role modelling are key factors that mitigate against the likelihood of academic failure, particularly for students in difficult circumstances. A mentor can support the student to develop the values, attitudes and behaviours needed to persevere with schoolwork and participate in the full range of student activities.
The literature on resilience shows that the presence of a caring adult is critical in helping students overcome adversity and achieve at school. A teacher in a mentoring role can create opportunities for a student to manage the transition to high school successfully by helping the student:
- set realistic and manageable goals
- problem-solve difficult situations
- see themselves as well intentioned though liable to make mistakes (don't we all make mistakes sometimes)
- realise that their thoughts and ideas are worth listening to
- realise that they can do something about any poor performance at school because their skills and abilities are not fixed and immutable.
Qualities of a good mentor
The ability to:
- relate to students
- motivate students
- listen
- identify areas for improvement in behaviour in a supportive and non-threatening manner
- assist students to see that all actions have consequences
- communicate with students in a calm and supportive manner
- establish reciprocal trust and respect with difficult students
- assist students to make plans and carry them through
- identify a student's hidden talents and skills
- communicate hope and optimism
- make time available
- help students become more involved in school
- set and maintain firm boundaries
- maintain confidentiality and trust within appropriate limits
- delegate responsibilities to students.
Aims and objectives
The aims of this mentoring program are to:
- increase self-confidence of the student
- assist the student to integrate into the school in the most supportive and therefore, hopefully, the most successful manner
- provide a trusting relationship role model and guide
- identify and assist the student to address problem behaviour
- enable goal setting
- increase positive attitudes to education and learning
- help young people manage their anger, frustration and avoid violence
- disseminate relevant information to minimise risks to students and staff and ensure consistent application of behaviour strategies.
Objectives need to be set out in clearly identifiable, specific and measurable terms. It is important that objectives are designed so they can be met early on, in the middle and at the end of the program.
Suggested objectives could be:
- The student will set and meet one goal in the first week.
- The student will behave in an appropriate manner in four of the seven classes in the first week of full-time attendance (five out of seven in the third week, six out of seven in the fifth week and so on).
- The student will meet with the mentor to raise concerns and issues, discuss progress, relate any incidents and the reason for them, at least once a week.
- The student will keep a log of feelings and thoughts to show the mentor once a week.
- The student will use strategies to address his/her behavioural needs as per his/her behaviour support plan.
Procedures for in-school mentoring
- Mentor volunteers for the position.
- Mentor becomes familiar with the document "guidelines for mentoring".
- Mentor visits the student at Naremburn School in the early stages of the re-integration process.
- Mentor meets the student at the returning school during an invited visit.
- Mentor becomes familiar with the risk assessment and inform relevant staff as to its implications.
- Mentor assists the student to define goals.
- Mentor makes time to see the student on a daily/weekly/monthly basis or timeline suitable to both parties as the need decreases.
- Mentor calls Naremburn School on 02 9906 8498 as the need arises.
- Mentor liaises regularly with staff at Naremburn School during re-integration process to inform of progress and next step anticipated.
- Naremburn remains committed to seeing students succeed in mainstream educational settings. To achieve this aim we will be supportive to the student regardless of where they are enrolled.
The actual timeline for integration is usually either of two options but is flexible to accommodate other options.
Student attends half day the first week, 1 day the second week, 1.5 days the third week, 2 days the fourth week, 3 days the fifth week, 4 days the sixth week and then full-time. When not attending the returning school, the student will attend Naremburn School. This process could be shortened if the student, staff, parents and Naremburn staff feel it is in the student's best interest. The student is enrolled into the returning school once he/she attends there three days or more per week.
Student attends one hour a day for 5 days the first week, 2 hours a day for 5 days the second week, 3 hours a day for 5 days the third week, 4 hours a day the fourth week and so on until full-time attendance is achieved. This process could be shortened if the student, staff, parents and Naremburn staff feel it is in the student's best interest. The student will be enrolled once he/she completes the trial period.
Support for the integration stage is to be negotiated between the returning school and Naremburn School but it is expected that staff from Naremburn School will accompany the student in the early stages of the process.
Should there be any problems during the student's time at the returning school, the staff at Naremburn School are more than willing to speak to the student, either at Naremburn School or the mainstream school, to help sort out any difficulties. Usually all it takes is a ‘little talk' but it may, at times, take a few ‘little talks' to bring the student back on track.